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Pope Airman sings with Kellie Pickler at Academy of Country Music’s salute to troops

By Marvin Krause, 43rd Airlift Group Public Affairs / Published May 07, 2014

Singer Kellie Pickler, left, and Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman, an aircrew aerospace medical craftsman assigned to the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C., perform onstage during ACM Presents: An All-Star Salute To The Troops at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 7, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Getty Images/ Courtesy of Academy of Country Music)
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Singer Kellie Pickler, left, and Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman, an aircrew aerospace medical craftsman assigned to the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C., perform onstage during ACM Presents: An All-Star Salute To The Troops at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 7, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Getty Images/ Courtesy of Academy of Country Music)

Singer Kellie Pickler, left, and Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman, an aircrew aerospace medical craftsman assigned to the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C., perform onstage during ACM Presents: An All-Star Salute To The Troops at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 7, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Getty Images/ Courtesy of Academy of Country Music)
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Singer Kellie Pickler, left, and Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman, an aircrew aerospace medical craftsman assigned to the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C., perform onstage during ACM Presents: An All-Star Salute To The Troops at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 7, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Getty Images/ Courtesy of Academy of Country Music)

Air Force Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman, an aircrew aerospace medical craftsman assigned to the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C., left, and recording artist Kellie Pickler attend ACM Presents: An All-Star Salute To The Troops at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 7, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sergeant Zimmerman's hometown is Ottoville, Ohio. (Getty Images/ Courtesy of Academy of Country Music)
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Air Force Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman, an aircrew aerospace medical craftsman assigned to the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C., left, and recording artist Kellie Pickler attend ACM Presents: An All-Star Salute To The Troops at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 7, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sergeant Zimmerman's hometown is Ottoville, Ohio. (Getty Images/ Courtesy of Academy of Country Music)

Musician Toby Keith performs onstage during ACM Presents: An All-Star Salute To The Troops at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 7, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Getty Images/Courtesy of Academy of Country Music)
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Musician Toby Keith performs onstage during ACM Presents: An All-Star Salute To The Troops at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 7, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Getty Images/Courtesy of Academy of Country Music)

Air Force Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman, an aircrew aerospace medical craftsman assigned to the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, attends an aeromedical evacuation flight briefing prior to a local C-130 Hercules aeromedical readiness training mission on March 19, 2014 at Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Marvin Krause)
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Air Force Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman, an aircrew aerospace medical craftsman assigned to the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, attends an aeromedical evacuation flight briefing prior to a local C-130 Hercules aeromedical readiness training mission on March 19, 2014 at Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Marvin Krause)

Air Force Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman, an aircrew aerospace medical craftsman assigned to the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, configures a C-130 Hercules to accommodate in-flight patient care prior to a local aeromedical readiness training mission on March 19, 2014 at Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Marvin Krause)
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Air Force Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman, an aircrew aerospace medical craftsman assigned to the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, configures a C-130 Hercules to accommodate in-flight patient care prior to a local aeromedical readiness training mission on March 19, 2014 at Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Marvin Krause)

Air Force Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman, an aircrew aerospace medical craftsman assigned to the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, prepares simulated patients for transport prior to a local C-130 Hercules aeromedical readiness training mission on March 19, 2014 at Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Marvin Krause)
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Air Force Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman, an aircrew aerospace medical craftsman assigned to the 43rd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, prepares simulated patients for transport prior to a local C-130 Hercules aeromedical readiness training mission on March 19, 2014 at Pope Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, N.C. (U.S. Air Force photo/Marvin Krause)

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POPE ARMY AIRFIELD, FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- Staff Sgt. Baily Zimmerman sang with recording artist Kellie Pickler April 7 during the taping of Academy of Country Music Presents: An All-Star Salute to the Troops.

This opportunity for Zimmerman highlights her passion for country music during the recent heart-rending life challenges she encountered.

While deployed in Kuwait overseeing local nationals working on the base, Zimmerman spent her free time singing country songs with her colleagues, and writing original lyrics about the hot summer. These moments reminded her of home and helped her forget the heat.

After deployment, she retrained into the Aeromedical Evacuation career field, which provided the opportunity to deploy to San Antonio, Texas, and care for wounded service members as they traveled home for their next level of care.

The same day Baily deployed to San Antonio, her brother, Staff Sgt. Sonny C. Zimmerman, deployed to Afghanistan. On that day, June 3, 2013, a suicide bomber attacked his unit, killing two and wounding several others, including her brother. Though her brother remained in Afghanistan, she had the honor of bringing home three of his colleagues who were injured in the attack.

She and her brother, Staff Sgt. Sonny C. Zimmerman, were close, and she credits him as the reason she enlisted in the Air Force.

A month later, her brother was tragically killed in action. Though devastated, she had promised her brother she would take care of his men, and she knew she needed to continue doing her work.

Through this difficult time in her life, country music provided consolation. The Ottoville, Ohio, native credits songs like "Over You" by Miranda Lambert, "There You'll Be" by Faith Hill and Lee Brice's "I Drive Your Truck" in helping her express her emotions, heal from her loss and continue serving her country.

In honor of Armed Forces Day, the 2 hour concert event, co-hosted by LL Cool J and Chris O'Donnell, airs May 20 at 9 p.m. EST on the CBS Television Network.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh was in attendance and thanked ACM, the artists and all who give of themselves and their time to support the troops and their families.